Electric sewing-machine cabinet



E. A. KOPF AND M. HEMLEB. ELECTRIC SEWING MACHINE CABINET. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I4. 19H.

Patenfied. Aug. 17, 1920,

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INI/E/VTURS 4 W I I 7am I 64 ATTORNEY E. A. KOPF AND M. HEMLEB. ELECTRIC SEWiNG MACHINE CABINET.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I4. 1917.

A 7701MB UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EMIL A. KoPE, or NEWARK, AND MAB'IIN HEMLEB, or ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS TO THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A. CORPORATION 01* NEW JERSEY.

ELECTRIC SEWING-MACHINE CABINET.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented A11". 17, 1920.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, EMIL A. Kerr and MARTIN HEMLEB, citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, at Newark, 1n the count of Essex and State of New Jersey, and Fllizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Eleo trio Sewing-Machine Cabinets, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention has for an object to provide a sewing machine cabinet of simplified construction including means for driving and controlling the sewing machine either electrically or manually, the ports of which -'cabinet may be shifted or folded in such a manner, when-not in use, as to inclose the sewing ,inach'ine and practically conceal the some togetherwith the various controlling and driving devices therefor, whereby the complete outfit will have theneat and trim p eerance ofj'and be adapted for use as, an or inarytrible, r/ V Further obi cts 'of the invention will appear from the following description and claims;

The invention, in its preferred embodiment, comprises a four-legged table, the top of which is apertured to receive and support a sewing head preferably of the type disclosed in the application of Dosch and Hemleb, Serial No. 137,946, filed December 20, 1916, which includes a built-in electric motor for driving the sewing mechanism. Means are provided whereby the sewing head may be dropped or swung below the table-top; the latter including end-leaves which may be folded over to meet along the center line extending transversely of the table-top. A. treadle is supported near the floor within the space defined by the table-legs and is adapted for connection by a pitman to a drive-wheel journaled at the under side of a lower leaf." or shelf member which is hinged at dneend to a cross-piece carried by an end pair of the table-legs and is adapted to be swungfrom a substantially horizontal position, concealing said treadlc and drivewheel, to an upright position exposing said treadle and drivewheel and positioning the latter inoperative relation to said treadle and to the driven pulley of the sewing head with which said drive-wheel may he im-- nectcd by means of the usual belt. The cabinet is provided with a motor-supply circuit including a H10t-Ol'-COIll;10llGl, preferably in the form of a rheostat, which is located below the plane of the closed position of the drive-wheel supporting leaf and is concealed by the latter. The treadle is provided with a device or connection which is preferably under the control of the operators foot and may be readily moved or shifted from inpperative position to a position in engage e it with said controller when it is desired to drive and control the machine electric-idly. ,A safety switch is preferably incorporlitei'l in the Inotor-control circuit and, in the present instance, is adapted to be actuated by said lower leaf or shelf to close the motor circuit when said shelf is in open or running position and open the circuit when said shelf is in closed position; the purpose being to prevent accidental starting of the sewing motor when the parts are not in running position.

In the icc(iliipaii yiiig drawings Figure 1 is, an elevation of the invention with the phrts in open or running position. Fig. 2 is a similar view with the parts folded into closed or inoperative position. Fig. 3 is a vertical section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a rear elevation of the treaulle-control mechanism showing the operative connection between the treadlc and rheostat. Fig. 5 is a vertical section on the line 5-45, Fig. 4-. Fig. (l is a plan view of the parts shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the retaining latch for the treadle concealing leaf or shelf. Big. 8 is a detail view of the safety switch and its actuating means, and Fig. 9 is :1 sectional view showing the means for supporting one of the extension leaves of the table-top in the position shown in Fig. l.

The present cabinet. in its preferred embodiment, includes :1 table having a tabletop 1 supported at its four-corners by legs 2, the end pairs of which are connected by upper and lower end braces or cross-bars 3 and 4, respectively, which support the spaced and vertically disposed end-slats 5.

The meansincorporated in the cabinet for sup 'iorting the sewing-head so that it may he swung or dropped from the position shown in Fig. 3 to a position below the level of the tabletop are constructed substantiully in accordance with the disclosure in the l mo-ll i itates patent to Diehl at at, No. ML-til; the rear side of the machine bedplate being supported by the usual hinged plus, one of which is shown at 6, and the front side of said bed-plate resting upon the lip 7 of the hinged leaf 8. When the machine is to be: dropped below the tabletop 1 the hinged leaf 8 is first lifted to carry its lip 7 out ofrange of the front edge of the machine-base, whereupon the machine may be lowered in the usual manner into the receptacle beneath the table-top. The usual m electric motor ll such as disclosed ,open position by the counter-balancing spring 9 acts to partially support the machine-head, all as more fully described in the said Diehl er; al. patent.

in the present instance, the cabinet is equipped with a sewing-head including a bracket-arm having a hollow supporting standard 10 and preferably including a built in the aforshid Dosch and Hemleb application; the terminal wires 11 of which motor preferably extend downwardly within the standard 10. It is to be understood, however, that in so far as the present improvement in its broader aspects is concerned, the electricmotor may be constructed and mounted independently of the sewing-head and connected to drive the latter in any desired manner.

Hingedvto the opposite ends of the tabletop 1 are the extension-leaves l2, 12, the lefthand one of which, Fig. 1, is supported in rod 13 which is slidably received within the sheath 14; screwed to the under side of the table-top 1, as shown in Fig. 9. W hen the cabinet is closed, the extension leaves 12, 12, are folded over upon the table-top l and meet at the center of the latter to conceal the aperture or the sewinghead and form a. smooth flat top for the cabinet which then has the appearance of a simple table.

Secured to the cross-bars 4 are brackets 15 formed with socketcd bosses 16 in which are fixedly secured the opposite ends of ,the round tie-rod 17 which supports the treadle 18; the latter being formed with the depending apcrtured cars 19 entered by said tierod and held in position longitudinally of the latter by suitable collars 20.

Hinged to the, ledge 2i which pri'iiects inwardly .i'rom the right hand cross-bar lis the lower leaf or sheli member on the inner side oi which rotatably mounted the groo'ycd drive wheel 23 carrying a ball crank-pin 24 embraced by the socket-ed upper end of the pitman 25'), the lower end of which carries a ball 26 embraced by the socketed extension piece 2? which. is detachably secured to the trcadle fl by screws As will beobserved, the socket of the cxtension piece 27 which embraces the ball 20 is formed of two separable disks 2? and 27' secured together and to the extension 2T by, screws 27'; said disks being cut away at one side to ail'ord a clot rancc space 27 permitting the pilman 25 to assume the down turned position illustrated in Fig. 2,

The leaf 22 is retained in upright or running position by means of the latch 29 mounted to turn upon the studpin 30 carried by the plate 31 screwed to the upper end of the cross-bar 3, Figs. 1 and 3. The latch 29 comprises a stop 32 adapted to arrest the upward and outward movement oi the leaf 22 and a retainer projection 33 adapted to be turned so as to project below the upper edge of the leaf :22 when in upright position, as shown in Fig. 1. dhenthc lcal' .125 is lowered to closed or inoperative position, Fig. 2, the treadle and drive-wheel are substantially concealed from view; the lulbulld+uli0t connections at the opposite ends of the pitman 25 permitting closure of the leaf 12:! without disconnection of said pitman from the treadle and driving wheel The cabinet is pro ded. with suitable drawersfor accessories and attachments. The large center drawer ll l hinged at 35 to swing" outwardly and downwardly to open position, while the smaller end drawers Ski are slidahly mounted in the usual manner.

The in the present instance, a junctionbox 37 mounted on the back-piece 38, Fi i. l, and adapted to receive the attachmentpluu Ill! connected with the source of clcctrical energy. A second attachn'ientdug ill may convci'iiently be used to detach-ably connect the motor terminals 11 with the junctionbox. This detachable. connection it) may be of any desired or well known type pcrmitting ready disconnection of one portion of a circuit from another portion.

A motor-controller comprising, in the present instance, a rhcostat 41 having the usual contacts 42 and swinging contuctarm 43, is secured to the left hand lower cross-bar 4, Figs, 1. and 6. below the level of the closed position of the leaf 22. The contact arm 425 is provided at its free end with a recess or slot ll which is adapted to receive the free end oi a bolt 45 slidably mounted in the depending upcrturcd cars 46 formed on the treadle lb. tccurcd to the bolt 45) in the present instance is an upwardlv extending: foot-piece whereby the bolt may be readily connected to or disconnected from the rheostat l,()1ltil(2t-ili'll1 by a simple movement of the foot of the operator, as will be readily understood. Leading from the controller or rheostat 41 are the connecting wires 47 which extend upwardly through one or the legs 2 and horizontally along the back-piece 38 within a suitable conduit 4? to the junction box 3?.

Mounted on the end-piece 45', Fig. 3, is the safety switch 49 which may he of the common push-button raricty. adapted to close the circuit when the button Fi l is pushed inwardly and open thc circuit when pres sure upon the button 50 is l'QllUYL'tL llingod motor-control equipment comprises,

to the switch 49 is a depending lever-arm 51 the intermediate portion of which is adapted to engage the push-button 50 and the lower end of which carries the pad 52 adapt ed to be engaged by the upper end of the leaf 22 when the latter is elevated to effect inward movement of the push button 50 and closure of the circuit controlled thereby. The safety switch is connected with the junctiorr box by suitable wires inclosed in the conduit 53. The various circuits leading to the junction-box 34 are, in the present instance, connected in series.

While a rheostat is shown connected in series irith the sewing motor for controlling the speed of the latter, it is not intended to limit the present improvement to this particular type, of controller as it is realized that various other well known types of motor-speed controllers may, if desired, be used.

\Vhen it is desired to drive the machine electrically, the treadle extension 27, pitman 25 and drive-wheel 23 may, if desired,

be entirely removed from the cabinet and regarded as accessories to be employed when it desired to drive the machine by footpower. Obviously, however, these parts need not be removed as they do not interfere with the treadle-control of the rheostat il.

The specific embodiment of the invention shown and described is not intended to limit the scope of the appended claims as it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the described construction is susceptible of (iii material modification both in the form and arrangement of the various parts within the spirit of the invention. l r

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention, what we claim herein is 1. An electric sewing machine cabinet adapted to sustain a sewing head and a driving motor therefor, said cabinet comprising a table including supporting legs, a treadle sustained by said legs, a motor circuit including a motor-controller and an operative connection between said treadle and controller, said connection being readily broken and reestablished by movement'of the foot of the operators 2. An electric sewing machine cabinet adapted to sustain a sewing head and a driving motor therefor, said cabinet comprising a table including supporting legs, a treadle sustained by said legs, a motor circuit including a motor-controller and an operative connection between said treadle and controller, said connection including a coupling element readily shiftable to a definites inoperative position and serving to disconnect said treadle from said controller.

3. Ain electric sewing machine cabinet adapted to sustain a sewing head and a driving motor therefor, said cabinet comprising benshi'litgd into operative engagement with said) jconti oller.

5. An electric sewing machine comprising a sewing head, a cabinet therefor and an electric motor connected to drive said sewing head, a motor-controller incorporated in said cabinet, said cabinet including an element movable from an inoperative or nonrunning position to an operative or running position, and a safety switch connected to said element to automatically close the motor circuit when said element is moved to the second of said positions and to open the motor circuit when said element is moved to the first of said positions.

6. An electric sewing machine cabinet adaptedto sustain a sewing head and a driving motor therefor, a motor-circuit including a motor-controller incorporated in said cabinet, means concealing said controller and movable to an open position exposing said controller for operation, and a safety switch connected to said means to automatically close the motor-circuit when said-controller is exposed for operation and open the motor-circuit when said controller is concealed.

7. An electric sewing machine cabinet comprising a table including a table-top, a treadle secured to said table, an electric motor-supply circuit including a motor-conswitch, a leaf hinged to said table to swing from a closed position concealing said treadle to an open position exposing said treadle, and, operative connections between said leaf and safety switch whereby the latter is automatically actuated to close the motor-circuit when said leaf is swung to open position and to open the motor-circuit when said leaf is returned to closed position.

8. A sewing machine cabinet adapted to sustain a sewing head and a driving motor therefor, a treadle incorporated in said cabinet and suitable for use as a foot-power driving element, a motorcontroller, and coupling means carried by said treadle and, adapted to be shifted from inoperative position a position in operative engagement with said controller.

9. A sewing machine cabinet comprising a table-top, pairs of supporting legs at the opposite ends of said tabletop, end braces connecting the end pairs of supporting legs, a leaf forming a shelf disposed below said table-top and substantially filli the space within the rectangle defined by the tablelegs, a treadle mounted below and "coi'ieealed by said leaf, and sewing machine controlling means" adapted for connection with said treadle,v said leaf being hinged-to one of said end braces to swing to an upright or open position at one end of the cabinet.

10. A sewing machine oabmet comprising a table-top, supporting means at the opposite ends ofsaid table-top, a leaf forming a shelf carried by said supporting means below said table-top, a treudle mounted below eteors table-top, a treadle mounted below and concealed by said lent, said lcni' bring :ulnpnwl to be swung to an upright or open pvsix'zou exposing said trendlo, u inoior-eirvuii lmor- Pinfllifld. in said cabinet and incllulinp; A 1110l3OT-CO11tFOllQP mounted lwlow ilm Zontnl POSll'lOD of said lead, and an opcrnii n; connection between said irmulle and row troller.

12. A sewing inzn'hino Cabinet adapted to sustain a sewing head and :1 drivingmotor 1 therefor, a treodle sustained by said cubinet, a leaf pivotully mounted in said cahinet to swing from an upright or open position to a substantially horizontal or \lUMAl position concealing said tleadlc, said leaf being adapted to support and conceal :1 driving wheel when the cabinet equipped with n foot-power drive, a motor-circuit including a 1notor-controller lINFOI'DUl'ZllAlKl in said cabinet, and an operative connection between said treadle and controller permitting said leaf to be moved to open or closed posh tion without disturbing said. cinnicctimi.

in testimony whereof we havo'signcd our names to this specification.

Ell-ill. A. KOP'F, MARTIN l'lElVLl'llDl.

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